


Everstone

by Sarcastic_Metaphor



Series: RaiLeon One Shots [2]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Established Relationship, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Sort of a character study
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-23
Updated: 2019-12-23
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:07:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21919579
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sarcastic_Metaphor/pseuds/Sarcastic_Metaphor
Summary: "What did Leon have now that could compare to Raihan?Before they started dating, they were rivals. Always trying to challenge and bring out the best in each other. How could Leon even compare himself to the world-famous Champion he used to be?"((Or: Leon has an identity crisis after losing his title and becomes convinced that Raihan will stop loving him one day.))
Relationships: Dande | Leon/Kibana | Raihan
Series: RaiLeon One Shots [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1578640
Comments: 20
Kudos: 269





	Everstone

Leon should’ve been asleep by now. It was well past midnight, but everytime he tried to close his eyes, it felt like he was drowning. 

At least he wasn’t alone. Raihan didn’t quite snore, but his breathing was deep and slow and filled the room with a steady, rhythmic sound. Leon rolled over and stared at the way Raihan’s bare chest rose and fell with each breath, a little jealous of how easily the other could sleep. Of how little there was that could keep Raihan awake. 

But that was just the sort of person Raihan was. He took things in stride, even losses against Leon. 

His grip on the sheets tightened. Leon wasn’t Champion anymore, though. Hadn’t been for nearly a year. 

He knew he lost fair and square and had nothing to complain about, but it still hurt. Organizing the Battle Tower was fun for a while, but it didn’t quite match the fulfilment being Champion gave him. The Tower still wasn’t nearly as popular or as busy as the League, and Leon was just used to having a lot to do. He had too much time to himself and his thoughts. 

Leon had begun to fade from the public eye as well. Even though it was honestly nice to not be constantly followed by fans, what did he possibly have that made him worth anything now?    
  
Hop was set on his own path, and Leon was truly proud of him. But eventually, Hop wouldn’t need him anymore. (Maybe he already didn’t.) Leon had no title to defend anymore and no trophies or stories to bring home. But he still couldn’t imagine a world where Hop would no longer need him. 

And Raihan?   
  
What did Leon have now that could compare to Raihan?

Before they started dating, they were rivals. Always trying to challenge and bring out the best in each other. How could Leon even compare himself to the world-famous Champion he used to be?   
  
Because for most of his life, that was all Leon was. The Champion. The shining star of Galar. 

Leon’s jaw clenched. He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, just trying to breathe. Then, slowly, he peeled back the blankets and got out of bed. Raihan was spending the week visiting him in Wyndon. He didn’t deserve to have his time ruined by Leon’s weakness. 

He locked himself inside the bathroom down the hall. He turned the sink on, splashing his face with warm water. Leon sighed, bracing his palms against the sides of the sink. 

If he wasn’t Champion, what was he?   
  
A Battle Tower trainer? There were plenty of those. 

Hop’s hero? Not for long. 

Raihan’s partner?   
  
Maybe it was a bad thing that Leon was starting to expect Raihan to grow bored of him. But why wouldn’t he?   
  
Leon was busy building up the Battle Tower’s reputation. He could’ve moved in with Raihan in Hammerlocke, but he chose to stay here. And the Tower’s busiest months were the off-season for the League. Leon was going to be occupied during the parts of the year when Raihan was not, and vice versa. 

Plenty of time for Raihan to begin resenting him. Plenty of time for him to begin thinking of seeing someone else. 

Leon looked up and saw his reflection in the mirror. The bags under his eyes were getting darker. He sighed and grabbed a towel to dry off his face. 

As long as he made at least one person happy, he ought to be happy. Right?   
  
Because that was all Leon knew what to do as Champion. He was an entertainer. It didn’t matter if it was for sponsors, fans, family, or friends. He battled and posed and bent over backwards for them all. To start wanting anything for himself, especially after losing his title, was selfish. He should be grateful for what he had, while he had it.

He shouldn’t be sad at the idea of Raihan leaving him. 

Raihan deserved the best, even if the best wasn’t Leon anymore. 

But the thought still made his heart ache. Leon squeezed his eyes shut and bit down on the towel to keep from making any noise. He grabbed the sink handle and turned the water back on. Better to have Raihan hear water than Leon. 

And he let himself cry. 

He let his body tremble with shaky sobs once, twice, then three times. But no more. It was so selfish of him to be crying in the first place. He ought to be grateful for the time he got with Raihan already.

Leon wiped his eyes and turned the water off. 

He eventually left the bathroom and snuck back into the bedroom. He crawled into bed, but didn’t anticipate Raihan stirring.

“Hm, Lee…” He rolled onto his side, pulling Leon closer to him. 

“Sorry, did I wake you?” He asked. 

Raihan shook his head, cracking one eye open just a bit. Rai had such beautiful eyes, they always looked like they were glowing in the moonlight.

“Heard you leave.”   
  
Raihan brushed the hair from Leon’s face. 

“Was beginning to think you wouldn’t come back.” 

And Leon could hear Raihan’s sleep-dazed grin better than he could see it.

He was also so grateful that it was dark. He’d hate how worried Raihan would be if he saw how red his eyes were. 

“Where would I even go?” Leon asked, and it made Raihan chuckle a little. 

Leon’s heart, his chest, nearly his whole body warmed and ached for that laughter. He wanted to hear more of it so badly, but he forced that selfish part of him down. 

It was true that he had no where else to go. Leon could feel bits of his life grinding away, leaving him hollow inside. Raihan would figure it out too, eventually, and realize that Leon wasn’t worth his time. 

So he closed his eyes and bit his lip to keep from making any sound. He just laid still, and tried to enjoy his time with Raihan while he had it. 

* * *

Raihan had begun to notice how a lot of little things about Leon changed over time. 

At first, the signs were barely there. 

Leon spaced out a bit every now and then. But maybe he was just overworked.

Leon started sleeping more, basically whenever he wasn’t working or with Raihan. He was probably just tired.

Leon became a little more clingy, soaking up and returning touches that he’d usually try to shake off when they were in public. Raihan thought it was cute.

Then everything else started happening.

Leon threw himself into structuring and building up the Battle Tower. That was fine, that was his new job and he was passionate about it. But he had started spending longer and longer at the Tower, sometimes not returning home until the very early hours of the morning. 

And he was very particular about what he wore in his spare time. Loose clothes and long sleeves only, with hoods or caps whenever he could. He started tucking his hair into his jackets and wearing sunglasses while they went out. Anything to hide himself. 

His eyes almost always used to hold this perpetual gleam to them. Like he was always ready for a battle- for a  _ champion time _ \- and his eyes used to shine like stars. Now, Leon’s eyes were like dying embers. They only flickered back to life when Leon noticed Raihan was looking at him. 

And Raihan noticed at night, when he got up at three in the morning to use the bathroom, that Leon would be awake. He’d be staring at the ceiling with empty eyes. 

Raihan had genuinely no idea what to do.

He thought Leon was as close to perfect as someone could be. Leon had been the reigning Champion for years. And as soon as he lost his title, he bounced back with the Battle Tower and built its reputation almost completely on his own.    
  
Leon was amazing and talented and passionate and, quite frankly, fucking hot as hell. Raihan hoped that, eventually, this cloud hanging over Leon would pass. In the meantime, he did whatever he could to make Leon smile. 

Tonight seemed especially bad. Leon returned from the bathroom after an unusually long time, and when Raihan threw his arm over his boyfriend’s waist, he could feel the slight tremors going through Leon’s body. 

So he held Leon close and prayed that he could make his boyfriend even a little bit happier.   
  



End file.
